Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
They were still on the rest room when Esposito headed for Beckett's table to tell her AFIS had a match on their suspect. Beckett was about to tell him to take Ryan and check the evidence by themselves, but then she realized. Esposito felt he had been betrayed by his partner and wouldn't talk to Ryan, so she wasn't going to force a complicated situation for them.
'Castle and I will check it, thank you.' she offered.
That gave her the perfect excuse to their talk in a private place. She had stopped looking towards the rest room because every time she did it, her anger reached a higher point. She was afraid she would burst and take him out of the room. Something which she didn't wish. After a while, they finally left the room, and they headed towards the lift. Beckett stood up and went to the room they had just left to make herself a coffee. Her real intention was to get a better view of the hallway to see their goodbye. The anger swelled even more in her. Castle called the elevator for her and while they were waiting, she looked at him until the situation was uncomfortable. She'd better not try to kiss him here. She threw him a kiss to his cheek. That was too much. She got into the structure and he said 'goodbye' with his hand while she made a gesture saying 'call me'. Beckett got out of the room like a hurricane sweeps everything it founds on its way. She headed for the lift while Castle turned around and met her with a smile that erased when he saw her expression.
'Castle? Car. Now.'
And she pressed the button that would lead them to a very loud argument. The journey on the elevator was awkward. No words. She focused on the doors with her arms crossed over her chest and a hard look that made him frighten when he looked at her. She got out and went to search for her car, they got in and he asked:
'Where are we going?'
'You are going home.' she spit out.
'Kate, what's wrong?' he asked frowning.
'What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong.' her voice sounded hard and full of fury. She put her hand on his jacket pocket to find what she expected. The paper. The number.
'What am I to you, Castle? A conquest? A race that you won? A note on your bedpost? Tell me.'
He got speechless and she continued.
'You got tired? Have you lost interest once you tasted me? Huh?'
'Is this because of the journalist?' he said rising his voice.
'It's been a week and a half. A week and a half since this started. Your behavior with her was not normal. I've seen you flirting in the break room.'
She was taking it in a dreadful way but distrusting him that way was too much. He loved her. And she had never pronounced an affection word towards him. That made the anger rise on his chest, too.
'Maybe I've got tired'
He looked at her, who was staring at the road and nodding.
'I've got tired of your rawness, your coldness, your insensibility.' he made a pause 'Your incapability to say what you need or what you want.'
'I think I've been very clear about what I want.' she answered.
They had already arrived to his place so she braked roughly.
'When you find out what you really want, tell me. Now, get out.'
He looked at her for two seconds before taking off his belt, getting out of the car and slamming the door.
She put the car into reverse and got out quickly. He stayed on the sidewalk staring how her car moved away. He felt how his heart put its foot on the gas pedal and adrenaline beat his veins. She was maddening and sometimes he wondered why he had fallen in love with her. He got the stairs to his loft.
Beckett stopped under the red colour of a traffic light. Tears threatened with making wet her cheeks. She wished she had never blown up that wall. If she hadn't, she wouldn't feel that in her chest. Now her wall was down. And she was exposed. No one had ever hurt her like he did. But when you care about and love someone, it hurts. She started thinking about how life used to be before meeting him. Easier. But not better. She turned on the radio in order to get rid of her thoughts. She found a country station. And a song that made her think of the situation. 'You ain't woman enough' by Loretta Lynn. A 60's hit. And then she found herself singing to the second chorus of the song. What the hell was she doing singing along? And what the hell was she doing listening to country music at work? She turned off the radio and engaged. That day, luck was not on her side. Firstly, the emotional pain. And now the physical. A car which came by her left side hit hers. Afterwards, her head hit the window's glass and she felt how she lost her conscious.
'Beckett! Beckett, wake up!'
She felt how Esposito beat her softly several times on her face. She opened her confused eyes and squeezed them before looking at him.
'Are you okay?' he asked 'Someone should take a look at that cuts.'
She took her hand to her eyebrow, where she felt something wet.
'Don't touch it!' Esposito yelled at her taking her hand off.
She took a look around. She was still sat on her car. The window was broken and the car door wouldn't move. She tried to take off her belt but she couldn't. Esposito offered her a penknife.
'Thank you.'
'Do you think you can get out by yourself using co-driver's door?'
'Yes.' she replied.
When she got off, Lanie was waiting for her with crossed arms and a worried look on her black eyes.
'Thank God.' she said sighing when she saw Beckett walking by herself.
'Don't worry, Lanie. I'm still here to give you a lot of hassle.' she said grinning.
'Let me take a look at that cuts.'
Lanie told her that she had glass fragments on the eyebrow cut because of the knock. While she was extracting them, she opened Pandora's Box.
'Why wasn't Castle with you?'
'Oh, he had to get ready for a meeting with his editor. A new edition of Frozen Heat will be published, it seems.'
She thought her lie was very correct and Lanie wouldn't suspect. But nothing can escape the ME eyes.
'You had an argument with him.' she stated while she was stitching her eyebrow.
'Why do you say that?'
'I know. And I also know you think you're very smart to make it out like nothing happened between you two. But I'm not stupid, girl. What happened?'
Kate swallowed before continuing.
'I think all he said was a set up. And, that once he got what he wanted, he's forgotten.'
'I think the knock has affected your head, too.' Lanie said roughly 'I think you haven't noticed the way he looks at you. Kate, he loves you. It is like he's got a board hanging from his neck acclaiming it.' she wanted to smack Kate at that moment 'Go home. Think about it twice and talk to him.'
Once her little cuts here treated, she went to talk to Esposito. He told her the other driver had fled. He advised her to go home and rest.
'No.' she said 'I still have to check that evidence.'
He laughed at her and Beckett looked at Esposito with one of her interrogation looks.
'Kate, look at you. Your clothes are filled with your own blood. You can't go like that anywhere.' he put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye 'Go home. Have a shower. Rest and come back tomorrow.'
She took a few seconds before nodding. She walked down the street and stopped a taxi that would take her to the loneliness of her loft.
AN: I wanted to end this chapter at Beckett's accident, but then I realized that would be a little cliffhanger (I hate them). Thanks for reading :) Oh, I almost forgot; next chapter will be the last one.